Races are nearly set as the deadline to announce town nominations has passed.

Residents have stepped up to the plate late in the process, throwing their names into local races. With one full term selectman position open, and another half-term spot left unexpectedly empty, four candidates and an incumbent will vie for seats on the town’s top board as of press time on Wednesday morning.

Hopefuls had until Wednesday night to pull nomination papers and will have until April 22 to return them – a ratification of the nomination papers will officially place them on the ballot.

Selectman chairman Mark Gallivan’s three-year seat expires this June, one he’s currently set to compete for against two challengers. Joseph Monahan filed papers for the seat along with former Selectmen and perennial candidate Bill Hamilton. Along with the full-term nomination, Hamilton filed for the two year term spot also open on the board.

Monahan said he is seeking the Selectman seat to get more fiscal oversight in town, curbing what he called excessive tax dollar spending on different town projects.

Hamilton did not return calls for comment.

Leaving his seat mid-term, Selectman Mike Berry recently announced he would step down from the board this June, leaving the rest of his two years open. Finance Committee vice chairwoman Sue Lawson pulled papers for the seat.

"When Mike Berry resigned, there was a vacancy and it seemed like a logical next step given my government service to Walpole," Lawson said.

Dedham attorney and Zoning Board of Appeals member Jim Stanton also filed for the partial term, saying he sees the open seat as an opportunity.

"I think some people become candidates because they get really angry about something, or there’s one particular issue that inspires them to run. It’s not that for me," said Stanton. "I feel like I’d like to take my public service to the next level."

Stanton, who has run for state representative twice in the recent past, said he chose the two-year seat so he wouldn’t have to challenge an incumbent, something he said he has found to be hard. If not elected as a Selectman, Stanton said he plans to stay on the ZBA.

With two spots up for grabs on the Planning Board, both seats will see a race with two candidates in addition to the incumbents hoping for the spots. Board members Jack Conroy and John Murtagh will both appear on the ballot for their current seats. Former Capital Budget Committee member Elizabeth Gaffey will likely be in the running for one of the seats, along with Selectman hopeful Monahan.

The two open School Committee seats are as of yet uncontested, with one incumbent returning and one new candidate to fill an empty seat. Susan Curtis filed papers for her current spot and Town Meeting member Beth Muccini applied to fill the seat left open by Allan Cameron, who announced he would leave the board upon his term expiration in June to fulfill his new role as Wrentham Superintendent.

Page 2 of 2 - Muccini could not be reached for comment.

Looking for his 10th term as town moderator, Jon Rockwood will be challenged by fellow local attorney Thomas Brady.